Saying marriage is about compromise is one thing, saying it is sacrafice is another. I believe it is about compromise, but if you view that compromise as a sacrifice, I think you could get resentful towards your spouse.
And altho I do beleive people who don't want children because of the "sacrfice" they would have to make are very selfish people I do admire them for having the courage to admit it, and do feel sorry for them because they just don't understand that not having children is a bigger, true sacrifice then having them. They must be sad shallow people to not be able to love without viewing it as a sacrifice.
Becky
I have a couple of friends, and two siblings (and to a certain degree myself) who consciously decided NOT to have kids. It wasn't a selfish decision. Every one of them looked deep into themselves, their past parenting experiences and who they really are. They sincerely believe they would be bad parents and that a child deserves better.
You know you shouldn't be a parent if you know you have a quick temper, that you are prone to lash out verbally and evey physically when frustrated. That you are an extreme loner, or so introverted that a bomb could go off and you wouldn't notice. That you consistantly lack patience and forbearance. Yeah, it's a pretty brutal look inside yourself. You can 'fix' these things, but until they are fixed, another person shouldn't be the victim of your path to wholeness. And the end result is you save a child from yourself.
It's a pity more people don't think that way.
It's a more complex decision than simple shallowness unwillingness to sacrifice, but ecurbh and I are not trying to have children right now. There are lots of issues rolling around that affect this decision, and who knows what the future brings, but I don't think we'll have kids. At least not an infant of our own, we started pretty late. And we want to spend this time able to go on trail rides. ;~D
I do not want kids, so I guess that makes me selfish and shallow. You live in your world and I will play in mine. We will never agree on the fact that a woman has to have kids to be a "real person" or a "good/fulfilled person".
Whatever...
If you don't change a few diapers, there won't be anybody there to change yours.